This Popular Cafe Chain Is In The Midst Of A Major Brand Overhaul

Corner Bakery Cafe is a mainstay in the quick service bakery scene, and it just announced a wave of restaurant remodels intended to update the brand's appeal. The long term plan has already commenced, as Corner Bakery has completed seven store renovations — six in California and one in Pennsylvania.

Corner Bakery's store remodels have been expansive. The changes include upgraded seating, new flooring and paint, overhauled interior decor, and new beverage counters. The changes are also visible from the outside, with new awnings and patio furniture, all meant to modernize the Corner Bakery experience.

By 2027, Corner Bakery's brand overhaul will include all of its stores. In addition to the seven completed renovations, Corner Bakery is spending $500,000 in the first six months of 2025 to revamp several locations in Illinois and Pennsylvania. Since June 2023, the brand has spent over $6.2 million of its own profits on such self-funded improvements.

Revamps are a normal part of the lifespan for long-lasting food chains like Corner Bakery. Rival fast casual bakery and coffee spot Starbucks knows this lesson as well, with its recent menu overhaul eliminating 30% of the menu. Despite the far-reaching nature of Corner Bakery's overhaul, it does not seem to include discontinuing any menu items.

Corner Bakery's self-financed brand overhaul signals that the business is fundamentally strong. This financial strength is no doubt anchored in part by Corner Bakery's professional chefs making better baked goods than homemade versions, thanks to superior techniques and technology like kitchen scales and precision ovens.

Not only are existing Corner Bakery locations being remodeled, but the brand is also expanding with new locations, including a just-opened franchise in El Paso, Texas, a new corporate-owned location coming soon to Irvine, California, and the exciting reopening of a high-traffic location in its hometown of Chicago. With all this growth, Corner Bakery should avoid the fate of chain restaurants like Druther's that many people forgot even existed.